One Last Kakera
by Like a Snowflake
Summary: Rika should have known her happy ending came with a price.  When Hanyuu suddenly catapults them into a strangely altered Hinamizawa, an old rival gets another chance to steal her victory.  Post-Matsuribayashi-hen.
1. Pointless Hope, Hopeless Victory

**Summary: Rika should have known her happy ending came with a price. When Hanyuu suddenly catapults them into a strangely altered Hinamizawa, an old rival gets another chance to steal her victory. Post-Matsuribayashi-hen.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi, Umineko or Elfen Lied or else I wouldn't be able to write this fanfic without feeling guilty I'm contradicting my own story:p**

**Warnings: *SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T READ HIGURASHI, UMINEKO OR ELFEN LIED* (well it _is_ post-Matsuribayashi-hen)**

**A/N: This is my first fanfic ever. Please no flames! I just want honest feedback; after all, I want to be an author in the future...i could use all the help I can get :)**

**So...enjoy :D**

A warm summer glow spread over Hinamizawa. It was sunset, the horizon rimmed faintly with red, the clouds a pale orange hue. Everyone was still laughing over this afternoon's club activities as they left school together; Keiichi had lost again, of course.

_Then again, you've been losing for nearly 100 years now_, Rika thought, smiling. When was the last time she had been able to honestly smile? _But you helped us win the most important game of all._

"Au au . . . Rika . . ."

She did not hear; Satoko was re-enacting Keiichi's wail of denial and defeat and _revenge_.

"Rika . . . _Rika_ . . . RI-"

"_What?_"

When the voice was cut off she finally turned around. Hanyuu was frozen, eyes wide, a bead of sweat on her temple. Before Rika could speak a familiar blackness engulfed them, drowning out the laughter, the sunshine, the happiness.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Black faded to murky grey. Grey faded to blinding white. And eventually, something came into focus.

Her own face.

"You!"

"So we meet again."

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"You mean what are _you_ doing here."

"I-I . . ." And with that, Rika realized three things: she was sprawled on her back, as if she'd fallen, there were floating crystals - no, _kakera _around her, and she was face to face with the only other person besides Hanyuu who had been with her from the beginning.

The witch, Bernkastel.

"I-I don't know why I'm here again! We finally reached a Good End! You said it was over! I thought it was . . ." _Oh no. It's supposed to be over. I don't want to go through it again, not again, not again, not again, not-_

"I thought so too," Bernkastel grimaced. Or was she smiling? Nothing was clear here, in this place between worlds. "But Lambda never gives up, does she? After all, she _is_ the Witch of Certainty." and the witch turned away, muttering things like ". . .couldn't stand losing. . .", ". . . keep the game going . . .", and ". . .new piece . . ."

"Wait, _why am I here_? Did you summon me or something? And who's this Lambda you keep talking about? And what do you mean by 'a new piece'-"

"_Lambdadelta_. That's her name. You have no right to call her Lambda." Rika stared at Bernkastel's straight blue bangs, hiding eyes that mirrored her own. "We are not the only ones in this game, you know. Remember Miyo?"

"Takano," said Rika gravely.

"Lambda has been helping Miyo. Manipulating her, actually. Miyo doesn't know it, but her relentless ambition stems from Lambdadelta's yearn to win. Subconsciously, she knows the existence of different worlds, and has been your ultimate enemy, along with Lambda, from the beginning. Yet, Miyo failed. She lost to you; Lambda lost to me. And now she has found a way to have a rematch, but with a different piece."

Rika shivered. _I__f what Bern said was true, and Takano only being manipulated, then she was just a piece that could be discarded and replaced. Just a piece in a sick game between Lambda and Bern._

"Hey Bern, if Takano was Lambda-Lambda_delta's_ piece, am I your piece? Just a piece?"

"Technically? Yes."

"Then all we've been through, the people who died - my friends going _insane_ - it was all just a - just a - _GAME_?" Rika spluttered. _A GAME! ALL OF THIS, JUST A GAME TO HER! _"It _is_ your fault I'm here!"

"No, it's Hanyuu's -"

"_What!_"

"- and Lambda's."

Rika blinked. _Hanyuu working with this Lambda person? Impossible. Come to think of it, Hanyuu looked pretty scared a few minutes ago. Like she'd done something wrong._ "But . . . Hanyuu's on our side."

"Oh, I never said she wasn't. Though I believe Hanyuu was tricked somehow into using her power again. And Lambda is the most mischievous person I know." Bernkastel's lips curved into a smirk. _Was she enjoying this?_"But she gave us one condition. If we win, everything will be over. whe will accept defeat and you will get your Good End back. But if we lose . . . well, either we keep going until we win, or until Hanyuu get's too weak to reset time."

_If we lose . . . Hanyuu, you _idiot. _Were you really tricked so easily?_

"The game's already started; you should leave now, Rika."

_This Lambda, if I could kill her . . ._

"Hanyuu will be waiting for you in the next world."

_Bern's voice is getting fainter. So it's really happening . . ._

_". . . _**make sure we win.**"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A warm summer glow spread over Hinamizawa. It was sunset, the horizon rimmed faintly with red, the clouds a pale orange hue. Everyone was still laughing over this afternoon's club activities as they left school together. Rika smiled with relief. So what just happened was really a dream (more like a nightmare). It was probably the summer heat getting to her head.

"Au au . . . Rika . . ."

She did not hear; Satoko was wailing with denial and defeat and _revenge_.

"Rika-"

Turning around, Rika cut Hanyuu off with a glare - and slowly turned back. Satoko was not acting. She was genuinely swearing revenge. What, was she _defending _Keiichi now?

"Satoko, it's okay. It's not like you really lost, _nipaa~_"

Instantly, everyone's eyes locked on the blue-haired girl.

"But you saw it yourself, Rika-chan," Mion explained, "after all, you're the one who beat her."

"But-" Rika glanced around. Had he gone home already? "I thought Keiichi lost."

Silence.

". . .Who's Keiichi-san, _kana kana~_?" Rena tilted her head, curious.

_You're kidding me._

"I'm going to faint," Rika said clearly before, for the second time that day, she was plunged into darkness.


	2. New World, New Piece

**Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi, Umineko or Elfen Lied.**

**A/N: The last chapter and this one are prologues to the two sides of this story (that's why they're kinda short :/). This chapter may seem unconnected with the previous one, but just like real Higurashi chapters: it'll all come together eventually :3 Okay, read on :D**

"Sonozaki-san! Table 20!"

Seeing a chance to escape, the green-haired waitress backed away politely and all but ran to her next table (which was thankfully on the other side of the restaurant). By being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Shion had been trapped in a dangerous argument between two drunk, burly men on the verge of starting a brawl. Unfortunately, this event has been becoming increasingly common to many waitresses at Angel Mort, so she was relieved to see that her next customer was not drunk, rough-looking or even male.

Table 20 was occupied by a slender girl who looked about Shion's age. Her clothes gave her away: she was not from Okinomiya. There were two dark blue ribbons in her long pink hair and one deep red one around her neck; a long black tank top over a magenta shirt, and red flats over striped black and grey knee-high socks. She sat hunched over with her arms folded on the table, and her head was lowered wearily. Framed by the large window beside her, the weak sunlight bathed the girl in a soft glow, illuminating the melancholy expression on her face. The sight of her struck Shion as strangely tragic. At this end of the restaurant the bustle and chatter of waitresses and customers was somewhat muted, and all the nearby tables were unoccupied. This girl seemed completely out of place, as if she had dropped in from another world.

Nevertheless, Shion treated her like everyone else who came to Angel Mort.

"Welcome to Angel Mort! What would you like to order?"

The teen slowly raised her head. As their gazes met, Shion nearly stumbled back in shock. _Satoshi-kun_, she thought instinctively. The girl's irises brought back painful memories. In many of them, the eyes were the same. Haunted. Burdened. Guilty. And a deep, sorrowful red. _What had this girl been through? Had she also been abused? Did she have a sibling to protect? Had she . . . killed someone?_ Shaking off these depressing thoughts, Shion realized her customer was talking to her.

". . . anything," mumured the girl.

"Pardon? I'm sorry, I didn't catch all of that," gasped Shion, flustered. _Don't think about other things while a customer is requesting something! And that means stop thinking RIGHT NOW!_

". . . money on me, so I can't order anything. I just needed a place to rest a bit. Is that alright?"

"To rest?" Shion repeated. She had never seen this person in Okinomiya before; her hair and clothes were new here. And after all, why would a teenage girl choose a restaurant that was clearly for men? A lost tourist maybe? The face and posture expressed exhaustion and maybe more. _And when one's exhausted, one's likely to be hungry too, right?_

"Tell you what, I'll order you something. You could do with some food; you look so tired. Besides, my shift is almost over and I'm tired too. So I'll get something for both of us!" Shion beamed while the startled girl tried to refuse.

"Wait, you don't have to do that, how can I repay you? Um . . ."

"It's Sonozaki. Sonozaki Shion. And you don't have to repay me. I'm a waitress after all!"

"Ah, thank you," she hesitated, then added, "I'm Kaede." She didn't smile, though something inside her had softened a bit.

A few minutes later, the two teens sat together at the back of the restaurant, forgotten by everyone; at least for the moment.


	3. The Transfer Student

**Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi, Umineko or Elfen Lied.**

**A/N: Meanwhile in Hinamizawa. . .**

Rika sat at the back of the class, forgotten by everyone; at least for the moment. Last night Mion had carried her to the hospital. There she had spent the night and woken up to a day that was becoming as strange as the previous one.

_"How are you feeling?"_

_Through sleep's blurry eyes Rika could just make out long lavender hair. "I'm okay. Is this a hospital room?" she murmured raspily._

_"Yes. Mion took you here, and Irie said you fainted from heatstroke. Then everyone thanked him and Mion and Rena went home."_

_"Oh, so that means-"_

_"Who are you talking to, Rika?"_

_The girl's streaming blue locks twisted under the blanket as she spun around, startled. On the other side of her bed, Satoko's red eyes gleamed intently at her. In the dark room the effect was quite unsettling._

_"Can't you see her?"_

_"See who?"_

_Puzzled, Rika turned back to Hanyuu, who shook her head. "You are the only one who can see me in this world," she said sadly._

_"You're dreaming," Satoko grinned, crossing the room and opening the blinds. Sunlight streamed into the room. "But I'm happy you're awake now. School starts in 30 minutes."_

_"30 minutes! Oh no, my uniform, I haven't eaten. . ."_

_"Relax, Rika. I brought breakfast, your uniform, and our bikes too! Everything's under control." Satoko winked at her._

_"Oh, Satoko, you shouldn't-"_

_"Eat! I don't want to be late!" Satoko thrust a boxed breakfast and chopsticks onto the white blanket. Rika sat up and the world tilted dangerously._

_"Rika!"_

_"I'm fine! I'm fine! I'll eat now!" And through giggles and a full mouth, Rika got ready in time, said goodbye to Irie and raced Satoko to school._

But no matter how hard she tried to ignore them, the signs were still there, prominent as ever.

As Rika was finishing her breakfast, Irie had come in while Satoko was in the washroom. Rika had asked where Takano was.

Irie had no idea what she was talking about.

A similar thing had happened later that morning when she asked Mion about Shion at school. ("Shion's living in Okinomiya right now, remember? Ah, Rika-chan, maybe you're still dazed from that heatstroke. Satoko told me you were talking to yourself!")

Strangest of all was the fact that as she had entered the classroom, the calendar had read HEISEI*. Not Showa. She didn't understand. Why were the circumstances so different in this world? Was it all to put her and Hanyuu off guard? At a disadvantage? Keiichi was unknown; so was Takano. Shion was still in Okinomiya and no one could see Hanyuu. Not to mention the fact that they were in the future. Actually, it reminded her of the worlds before Onikakushi, except. . .Rika sighed in frustration. And she thought nothing in Hinamizawa could surprise her anymore.

"Okay, everyone," Chie-sensei clapped her hands, startling the blue haired girl out of her deep reverie. "Please return to your seats . . ." but the rest was drowned out by the buzz of last minute conversations and scraping chairs.

". . . transfer student . . ."

"Eh?" Rika gasped. She wasn't the only one. The quality of the buzz changed: more excited, yet hushed.

"This is-"

(_Could it be? Could it really be K-)_

"-Kurama Mariko-chan. She and her father have just moved to Hinamizawa. Please make her feel welcome."

A girl at the front of the class moved into Rika's viewpoint. She was in a wheelchair, which explained why Rika couldn't see her before over the many heads of her classmates. Ribbons as deep a blue as Rika's hair nestled on either side of Mariko's glowing blonde head. She was the epitome of innocence, sitting primly on her wheelchair like a princess on her throne, wearing a small angelic smile.

The exact same smile Rika was so used to wearing when pretending to act her physical age.

And when Mariko glanced in her direction, the shock was immediate. Despite the hair and eye colour, the two girls could have been twins.

But Mariko's gaze swept right past her. And rested on Hanyuu.

***Heisei is our current period (21st century-ish) Though Hinamizawa is so secluded it could be mistaken for a village in the 1980s . . .**

**A/N: So what exactly is the right name? Washroom? Bathroom? Restroom? The _lavatory_? o_O**

**And in the manga, what is Mariko's real eye colour? Oh well, please R&R 9_9**


	4. A World Away

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Elfen Lied, Higurashi, or Umineko...**

**A/N: Single quotation marks mean thoughts, double quotation marks mean spoken words.**

_She_ had always been there, it seemed.

As a child, Kaede had no idea of the power within her. All she knew was that the two horns on her head were not normal. She was not human. But if Kaede was not human, what was she?

When those boys at the orphanage beat her puppy to death right before her eyes, when she looked to that girl for help - only to see her smirk, something in her _snapped_. And she found out what she really was: a monster. The next thing she knew the room was splattered in blood and body parts were everywhere...

She hadn't meant for that to happen. (But if she could do such a thing once...could she do it again?)

No, what a dangerous thought. Sure it felt good to see those bullies ripped to pieces, that was justice enough for her. But she wasn't a monster, really! There was no point in killing just to see how far you could go.

At the time, Kaede didn't realize that it wasn't something that caused her to snap. It was some_one_. And that someone would drive her to kill again.

Yes, _she _had always been there, it seemed.

* * *

After running away from the orphanage, the only way Kaede knew how to survive was to find a house that had food, drinks and running water to keep her going for at least another night, another day. The most convenient way for her to do this was to kill all the people who lived inside.

It scared her.

The nice boy, Kouta, didn't know. He had found Kaede in the forest, sitting by herself, scared and alone. He had been the first person to call her horns "cool". He had even given her a hat! He was the friendliest boy in the world. But was he a friend? Was he _her_ friend?

Kaede didn't dare hope.

Kouta would surely hate her if he knew what she was doing when she wasn't with him.

Soon, she lost count of all the people she had killed because she was too busy planning where to go and who to kill next. She didn't want to spend another night in the forest, especially if it rained.

'What the hell is this? Why do I always think about killing?' she thought to herself. (She wasn't a monster, really!)

_'Maybe it's because you love killing?'_

'It's that voice again...the voice I started hearing that day...' Kaede shivered. Ever since she had killed those bullies at the orphanage, someone had been speaking to her in her mind, urging her to kill. At her young age, it was hard to resist. She had to survive somehow, and this was the only way she knew.

_'It's kill or be killed...Heed my words: I was born to kill people...'_

'SHUT UP!' Of course, the voice only got louder over time. S_he_ would never leave; _she_ was a part of her.

Kaede was born to kill.

* * *

'I wish we could go to the festival together...' Kaede thought sadly. Kouta was leaving the next day for Hokkaido, and he wasn't coming back until next summer; this was the last time Kaede was going to see him in a while. His family would leave right after going to the festival that would take place tomorrow. To compensate, Kouta and Kaede played one last time, in the river. Kouta gave her one last present, a green rock from the river; he called it jade. Against her will, she found herself completely trusting this boy, and the words that spilled from her lips were the most sincere words she had ever heard herself say.

"Kouta...This...is the best day...of my entire life."

"...You're exaggerating."

"It's true. I will never...forget this day." And she never forgot.

The sad thing was, he did.

Even worse, she was the one who made him forget. Completely forget.

* * *

"Say...tomorrow's festival...can we go there together?" Love made you stupid. How could Kaede have ever believed there was hope for someone like her?

"I'm sorry. I've already promised...that I'll go with my cousin tomorrow."

"...really...then it's okay."

On the bus ride back towards Kouta's home, Kaede's mind was racked with worry.

'That cousin Kouta will be playing with tomorrow...is it a boy? Or is it a girl? ...I'm stupid. Getting all jealous right now...'

_'Then you might as well kill him now...' _Kaede froze. There was absolutely no way _she_ could convince her to kill her one friend, her _best _friend. '_Kouta must be going to the festival with another girl. Kill him now, and the sadness will only last until tomorrow...'_

'No more! Who the hell are you?' thought Kaede furiously.

_'...'_

"C-can't breathe..."

To Kaede's horror, Kouta was choking.

Because she had been strangling him this whole time.

By that time Kaede already knew that she couldn't oppose that voice no matter what she did.

"Kouta...I have a request to ask of you...if I were to...kill lots of people at once...kill me, Kouta..." The bewildered look on Kouta's face stabbed Kaede's heart, but it was the only way she knew how to stop this voice from controlling her if she got extremely dangerous. Or was it already too late?

She had no idea that what would follow would hurt even more.

She had no idea she would become a mass murderer.

"That cousin you're going with to the festival tomorrow...Is it a guy? Or a girl?"

The fateful question.

If Kouta had given a different answer, how many lives would have been saved?

"A g...A guy."

The next day, Kaede decided to find Kouta at the festival. She forgot about his cousin. She wanted to tell him that she liked him, she trusted him. She wanted to hug him and never let go, because who knows if she'll ever see him again?

Love made you stupid. How could Kaede have ever believed there was hope for someone like her? It just had to be that Kouta's cousin was a girl.

Even worse, she was crying, and he was _hugging_ her.

Kaede remembered the words _she_ had spoken yesterday: '_Kouta must be going to the festival with another girl. Kill him now, and the sadness will only last until tomorrow...' _She couldn't remember for the life of her why she hadn't listened earlier.

'You're happy with your unreal emotions. Could I feel anything close to love for a girl with horns?' Kaede looked up, shocked. The voice sounded like Kouta's. She was going crazy.

'Then why have you been so nice to me?'

'I adore strange animals, you know.' This strange, mean "Kouta" kept talking, but Kaede couldn't listen anymore. It was breaking her heart.

'It's because you trust humans, even though you aren't one yourself.' The weird "Kouta" morphed into the girl who had betrayed Kaede back at the orphanage. And then, she morphed again...

_'Then, make a place to live in by yourself. By now, you should understand that too...join me. Then I will make you a place to live in.' _Standing in front of Kaede now was a black silhouette of a girl with short hair like Kaede's, but she was wearing a dress with a wide princess skirt. On her head was a tilted hat and her slender arms were covered in long black gloves. Kaede couldn't see her face, but she knew instinctively that this was the true form of the voice in her head.

_'Hold my hand. I'll put an end to this. I'll liberate you from your useless feelings.'_

"Who are you?"

_'I am Lady Lambdadelta, the Witch of Certainty, and if you follow me I can show you a place where you will have food and shelter, friends, and a happy life.'_

With Kouta's betrayal, with everything she had been through in her short life, she was still desperate to trust someone, anyone. Would that be her downfall?

_'Choose. Will you make yourself a place to live in? Or die a dog's death?'_

'Kouta...farewell...'

Long, transparent arms burst from Kaede's body, slicing through anything and everything that got in their way. Being in a festival, it was a massacre.

* * *

After the festival, Kouta and Yuka had separated; Yuka was not to go back with him. Consequently Kouta, his father and his little sister were alone on the train to the airport. Surprisingly not one of them had been near the "explosion" in at the festival. They had been spared one tragedy, but they were about to meet another.

Lady Lambdadelta had told Kaede what train Kouta and his family were on.

The plan was simple, really. Kill the father and the sister. Kouta would have no one but her. Then they could be friends forever, right?

And it was executed perfectly. Except for two things: for seven years, Kouta never remembered the incident at all; the trauma caused him to have amnesia. The other thing? Kaede was so wracked with guilt that all she could think of for the next seven years was, how on earth would she ever be able to gain his forgiveness, not to mention his friendship?

For the next four years Kaede fell into a life of stealing and killing to survive. Soon she was on the wanted list in Japan. Eventually she met another girl, Aiko Takada, the second person ever to accept Kaede for who she was. Only to have her shot by a bullet that had been meant for Kaede. Dr. Kurama was the man who had ordered the shooting, and Kaede decided that she had had enough of this dangerous life. The man offered Kaede a deal. If she handed herself peacefully to them, they would do everything in their power to heal Aiko.

Kaede believed.

Then the last shard of trust for any human in the world, except for Kouta, was utterly shattered when Kurama informed her that Aiko was dead. For the next three years, Kaede was subjected to cruel experiments that were basically torture, all for the sake of "scientific research" in a facility next to the sea, in the town where Kaede and Kouta first met. She was even given a different name, "Lucy". In the third year, she had managed to escape with one goal in mind: to beg for Kouta's forgiveness. Unfortunately, as she was escaping from the research facility a .50 BMG round slammed against her head (fortunately she had been wearing a helmet, a requirement for all creatures like her to wear at in the facility) knocking her into the sea. This temporarily erased her memories, giving her a childlike persona that could only say "Nyu!"

She should have known not to hope.

When they finally met again, Kouta was 19, and Kaede was 18. They had both lost their memories and had no recollection of ever meeting before. Lady Lambdadelta had been repressed, for a while at least. They had become friends, starting over from scratch. But...the old Kaede was still there, somewhere. Lady Lambdadelta was still there, somewhere. Kouta's memories were still there, somewhere. One thing led to another, and eventually, Kaede found herself staring at the witch's outstretched hand again.

_'You have repressed me for too long. I'll give you another chance. Aren't I the Witch of Certainty? I promised you, and so it will happen for sure: if you follow me I can show you a place where you will have food and shelter, friends, and a happy life. Hold my hand...'_

And then Kaede was back in the real world. She was on the bridge, in the middle of a fight with the young Kurama Mariko. Her powers were beyond anything Kaede possessed. Was her life finally going to end? Kouta loved his cousin, Yuka; there was no doubt about it. But because of Kouta's natural kindness and Kaede's split personality "Nyu", she had lately been getting better at ignoring Lady Lambdadelta's words, thinking it would be for the best. Perhaps that was the reason why her life seemed to be a series of disappointments and betrayals. The more she tried to get closer to Kouta, the more she hurt him and herself, because he loved Yuka. Kaede hadn't fully followed the witch. She had nothing to lose now, absolutely nothing, not if she was going to die now. No one wanted her; the possibility of Kouta's forgiveness was zero. She was being hunted down to be killed. There was no one left to turn to - except the witch.

It was depressing, but strangely liberating, when she finally gave in, and Lady Lambdadelta immediately whisked her away from the only life she had ever known.

* * *

_"Here, you will meet your first friend."_

And now she was in Okinomiya.

Kaede gaze swept warily over her surroundings. Scantily clad waitresses everywhere, drunk men rumbling with laughter, yes, this was the wrong place to be for someone like her. Then again, there really was no place for someone like her, was there? Where was she going? When could she stop running? Sighing, she pounded the table in weary frustration.

Her fist landed in chocolate pudding and smashed the cherry on top.

"Is the food that bad?"

Looking up guiltily, Kaede repressed an apology when she saw the gentle amusement in the waitress' eyes. Sonozaki, was it? Sonozaki-chan? Sonozaki-san? She was not used to honorifics, considering the way she had been…brought up. Survival had always been more important than respect. Not that she saw anything in humans to respect, considering the way they have treated her all her life. Except for a few notable exceptions. This girl could be one of them.

**A/N: Finally done the 4th chapter! I didn't realize it would turn out so long :O Or take so long...wow, Kaede's past never fails to depress me, no matter how much I try to tone it down.**


End file.
